The URL shortening service, bitly, has released data that reveals the best times to share on popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
The company studied how the day and time of content posted affects the amount and type of attention it will receive.
If you’re company avidly uses Twitter then posting between 1-3 pm EST time is the best chance at bringing in a high click count, however on the weekends Twitter doesn’t offer much value.
"Posting after 8pm should be avoided, "said bitly on their official blog.
"Specifically, don’t bother posting after 3pm on a Friday since, as far as being a gateway to drive traffic to your content, it appears that Twitter doesn’t work on weekends."
Data shows that Twitter traffic times between 9am-3pm, Monday – Thursday. Posting during peak times does raise the level of possible clicks but peak hours also raise the level of competition for attention.
"Posting on Twitter when there are many people clicking does help raise the average number of clicks, but it in no way guarantees an optimal amount of attention, since there is more competition for any individual’s attention," said bitly.
Facebook was also find to have the most traction during weekday afternoon times, with traffic generally fading after 4pm. The best time to post on Facebook during the week is Wednesday at 3pm. Data reveals that the dead hours on Facebook are after 8pm and 8am when links will have a harder time gaining attention. Similiar to Twitter, Facebook does not offer much click value on the weekends.
Traffic on Tumblr was found to be very different than Twitter and Facebook, with activity spiking after 4pm. Tumblr traffic peak hours are 7 -10 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays.
While Facebook and Twitter are ideal for weekday and afternoon postings Tumblr is the go to place for evening and weekend attention.
"Each social network has its own culture and behaviour patterns," said bitly. "By understanding the simple characteristics of each social network, you can publish your content at exactly the right time for it to reach the maximum number of people."
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